In the 12 months to September, deaths involving articulated vehicles have leapt from 29 to 54, according to data released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. In all other states, fatalities decreased in the same quarter.

“Truck drivers' work and rest times are already very tightly regulated and the regulations we have, have been demonstrated to work by the reduction in heavy serious accidents in every other state,” he said.

“It’s only in NSW and the NT they are not working and there’s no definitive data detailing the cause.

“We need to have the Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigate these accidents and come back with recommendations and at the moment that’s not being done.”

According to the BITRE, around 80 per cent of multi-vehicle crashes involving trucks aren’t the truck driver’s fault.

Shane says there’s a definite lack of awareness among many car drivers of truckies’ blind spots and stopping distances.

“People often pull into gaps and cut into spaces we’ve left to be safe behind traffic, you’ve really got to be on the ball all the time,” he said.

The NSW Department for Transport were contacted for comment but did not respond in time for publication.